Can you guys recommend which DLCs to get?

[Swimfan]

Currently I'm easing into the base game on Rookie (really needed that, aliens still kick my but and I need to save-scum whenever a soldier triggers detection with my last action so that enemies immediately gain a full next turn afterwards).

That being said, I slowly get a grasp after 15 hours and I wondered what route I should take. Initially I wanted to go for "Rookie Wotc" after 5-10 more hours into the base game BUT I'm also looking at the other DLCs.

So "Reinforcement" doesn't look so great from what I've read. True or false?

"Tactical Legacy" on the other hand seems very promising tho.

Maybe I play some more of my current campaign, then Base+Tactical Legacy (for even more enemies and maps? Sign me up *_*) on Rookie or Normal and THEN Wotc?

Edit: Can't stress enough how crazy my 180 degree turn on this game has been :-D Going from hating it and uninstalling on 2 different occasions bc. of how BS the first missions can feel to being very much in love with it right now.

[Amanoob105]

Short answer is: All of it. Though it's still recommended to wait until a sale.
Long answer will take a bit to type out.

*Edit*
Oh, also. Nice to hear your finally able to have fun with the game.
I would recommend playing though the normal game at least once before you grab WotC, I'm not joking when I say it adds a metric ton of new content to the game on top of what was already there.

Also, also. Early game having a flashbang on one person in the squad will often save your squads lives if for that one times things go really south.

[sick duck]

I feel the same way after more than 1000 hours of play time rofl. I lost count of the amount of times I would shut the game down in frustration only to load it bak up a few minutes later after doing some other stuff because I can't get the previous mistake out of my head.

[Amanoob105]

War of the Chosen (WotC). It's less of a DLC and more an expansion that doubles the content of the game. It adds so much stuff it may as well be another game.
All below descriptions for the recommendations will be done assuming you get this, which you really should.

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The Reinforcement pack is basically just these three other DLCs in one as they can no longer be gotten by themselves. Two of them are 100% recommended. The third tends to divide people.

-Alien Hunters, 100% worth it. Adds three big ol' boss aliens to the fight, makes for a fun challenge. Or at least they do when you can control how they turn up.
When starting a new game turn off "integrated downloadable content" and directly select the two options below it. This means the new enemies are locked behind a new mission and won't make problems for you before you feel ready to deal with them.
The first new Icon from this DLC to turn up with this option will be a green one, recommend to scan it within a month or two of it turning up, it gives you a bunch of free weapons from the DLC. The white one after that will make you fight the first of the Rulers.
This DLC also adds more cosmetic options.

-Shen's Last Gift, 100% worth it. Adds SPARKS to the game. Big stompy robots of your own. They play a bit like a cross between a grenadier and a ranger, good at getting in close, but they bring the big guns. WotC also adds some things that makes them far better.
Again, turn off "integrated downloadable content" and select the option directly, makes a white mission related to it after a cutscene turn up. Expect a BIG fight, bring at least a bluescreen round or two and try to avoid using any of the explosives until the third act.
Julian is fun.

-Anarchy’s Children, personally I 100% recommend, but others will disagree.
Adds a load of cosmetic options. Some people play this game and want all their troops to look 100% future-tech best of the best. For them this pack is....bad.
I'm aware that in game I'm recruiting from "the best of what's left", so if someone wants to join up but insists on wearing their lucky leather jacket instead of body armor, hey, so long as they know which end of the gun goes *bang* and follow orders I'm happy to have them.
Either way there's in game options to limit how often this stuff shows up at random.
Most of us on here, certainly myself, are likely to have some screenshots should you wish to see what sort of things can be done with it when mixed with the normal options, as the default store pages are solely from the DLC.

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-Tactical Legacy Pack, 100% worth it. Adds a bunch of side missions, like self contained mini campaigns. Good for some quicker challenges if you don't want to start a full game.
Completing them each on a silver rating (not the hardest thing to pull of if you have seen a campaign to a finish) gives you some extra cosmetic options (including the best non-modded voice pack in the game, the Rizzo ) and some "sidegrade" weapons.
The weapons are the exact same as the normal ones and upgrade with them, but come with free weapon mods attached to them, though you can't choose what they are or swap them out.

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Resistance Warrior Pack. If it's on sale it's just about worth it.
Contains some basic armors that are....Ok. But will go away the moment you upgrade your normal armor.
Only thing really worth it in here are some fun face paints. But only if it's on sale.

[Swimfan]

OMG, that answer is amazing Oo Thank!

Can I play the Wotc build with (with better game engine) WITHOUT Wotc content or do I need to play the base game? (because that's what I did but it would be really annoying if I could have just played with the upgraded engine all along :-P)

Also: Can I integrate some of those missions into my already excisting campaign or do I start a new one?

[Amanoob105]

Originally posted by Swimfan:

OMG, that answer is amazing Oo Thank!

Can I play the Wotc build with (with better game engine) WITHOUT Wotc content or do I need to play the base game? (because that's what I did but it would be really annoying if I could have just played with the upgraded engine all along :-P)

Also: Can I integrate some of those missions into my already excisting campaign or do I start a new one?

A campaign started in the normal Xcom2 can't be finished when playing WotC. The same is true of the engine upgrades, as they're a part of WotC.

If you want the other content you would need to start over with a new game.

The Legacy missions are always their own separate thing accessed from a different part of the menu. Though the rewards from doing them will turn up in the normal game, they also need a fresh start to appear.

[Swimfan]

Originally posted by Amanoob105:

Originally posted by Swimfan:

OMG, that answer is amazing Oo Thank!

Can I play the Wotc build with (with better game engine) WITHOUT Wotc content or do I need to play the base game? (because that's what I did but it would be really annoying if I could have just played with the upgraded engine all along :-P)

Also: Can I integrate some of those missions into my already excisting campaign or do I start a new one?

A campaign started in the normal Xcom2 can't be finished when playing WotC. The same is true of the engine upgrades, as they're a part of WotC.

If you want the other content you would need to start over with a new game.

The Legacy missions are always their own separate thing accessed from a different part of the menu. Though the rewards from doing them will turn up in the normal game, they also need a fresh start to appear.

That I already got ^^ My question was more like "Can I start a base game without Wotc in the Wotc game?" (because I heard - and have already tested and confirmed - that Wotc runs smoother and faster bc. they upgraded the game engine during development).

Another question: Can I somehow skip/ignore dialogue during missions? Those talking points in the middle of a mission that just take camera control away from you are just the worst :-/ They jank the camera away and you have to listen to them stating the obvious ...

[Amanoob105]

Originally posted by Swimfan:

That I already got ^^ My question was more like "Can I start a base game without Wotc in the Wotc game?" (because I heard - and have already tested and confirmed - that Wotc runs smoother and faster bc. they upgraded the game engine during development).

Another question: Can I somehow skip/ignore dialogue during missions? Those talking points in the middle of a mission that just take camera control away from you are just the worst :-/ They jank the camera away and you have to listen to them stating the obvious ...

That's what I was trying to answer, the engine upgrades (why it runs better) are built into WotC, without that DLC (along with everything that comes with it) being active the engine upgrades also won't be active.

When starting a new game select the "Reduce Beginner VO", that will get rid of most of the dialogue explaining things and taking control of the screen to do it.
You want more than that you'd need to start looking at modding.
But with that, more than any other time, it is highly recommended to play though at least one full campaign on WotC before you touch those options.
Partly because it's oh so much easier to figure out what areas you're looking for changes in with mods.
But also because if the games going to bug out, mods are the most likely reason why and having seen a full game without any it's easier to tell if things are going wrong.

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Speaking of new things that can get annoying. I keep forgetting about this one.
When starting a game there's an option called "Lost And Abandoned". It's an extra story content thing that help introduce things like the resistance factions and the chosen.

It's fun to do at least once, but will quickly get repetitive on repeat playthoughs. Not least of which because it locks in the strengths and weaknesses of one of the more troublesome chosen when such things would normally be random.

[Swimfan]

Originally posted by Amanoob105:

Speaking of new things that can get annoying. I keep forgetting about this one.
When starting a game there's an option called "Lost And Abandoned". It's an extra story content thing that help introduce things like the resistance factions and the chosen.

It's fun to do at least once, but will quickly get repetitive on repeat playthoughs. Not least of which because it locks in the strengths and weaknesses of one of the more troublesome chosen when such things would normally be random.

So I enable it the first time and then never again?

I just bought the DLCs (they are highly discounted on my favorite, trusted key site - that's why I asked in the first place) and when they asked me when booting up my save, I didn't choose the alien hunters - was that the right choice?

[Amanoob105]

Originally posted by Swimfan:

So I enable it the first time and then never again?

Unless you fall in love with the idea of fighting an stealthy melee chosen who's immune to overwatch. Yeah pretty much .

Originally posted by Swimfan:

I just bought the DLCs (they are highly discounted on my favorite, trusted key site - that's why I asked in the first place) and when they asked me when booting up my save, I didn't choose the alien hunters - was that the right choice?

Personally, I'd say yes. I have no idea how it would have added to option to your game so this way you avoid the less fun options on how you first meet them.
The first time you meet them will be an experience. Best to do it on your terms.